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The world’s most visited attractions

According to Forbes Traveler magazine, the following were the 50 most visited attractions in the world in 2007. I’m ashamed to say I’ve only done 31 of them, although I have done seven of the top nine.

Unfortunately it is yet another US-centric list with rather too much Mickey Mouse for my liking but I suppose this is what one would expect from an American magazine. I’m guessing this is a list of of places visited by Americans as opposed to being “the most visited” by all nationalities? In any event, I’m not sure I entirely trust this list. I understand they quite rightly left out the major religious sites, such as Mecca, but I’m shocked that Jerusalem does not register in one way or another. Another reason I suspect this is where Americans have visited, many of whom have a high sensitivity to “foreign places where we might get hurt or be served funny food!”.

How many of this list have you managed to visit so far? Which ones would you especially like to visit in the future and what which sites would you add to the list?

9 thoughts on “The world’s most visited attractions”

Why would you go to Japan to see stuff that’s too homogenised? Why not see some truly Japanese sights that you can’t get back home in the US? What’s the point of flying all that way and totally avoiding the sights and sounds and flavours of the other country?

If you’re going to Japan try: the Meji Jingu shrine, visit the Shibuya crossings by Shibuya station, Roppongi at night. Then there’s Nara and Kyoto (with millions of shrines, beautiful architecture, maiko wondering the narrow streets between tea houses). Also Hokkaido (its ice sculpture festival in Feb(??) is meant to be amazing), Kyushu or even Hiroshima (really something to see if you are American).

I didn’t actually count how many I’ve visited because I became a bit disgusted by the Americanisation of this list within the top 10.

I find it extremely sad that Blackpool is number 21! Although I should think these figures are boosted somewhat by UK stag and hen nights and Saga Coach Holidays, for which Blackpool is famous for. I would think this is also the case for the Japanese Disneyland type location figures which probably comprise Japanese visitors only.

Considering the Grand Canyon and Yosemite are much closer for Americans (although for some still classed as ‘abroad’), I would have thought these would have been higher up the list.

26 for me and unfortunately this includes Blackpool (but only once when I was very young!).

I’m not trying to excuse it, just explain it. The US is in many ways much like China: very inward looking, and for all our faults we react reflexively rather than thoughtfully if they are pointed out by foreigners. But that is by the numbers- something like only 25% of US citizens hold passports, although that may have increased since last official count because of new rules for Mexico, the Caribbean, and Canada since 9/11.

Yes, it’s a US centric list. Kinuk probably strikes closest to another reason for the miscount: domestic attractions in Japan (or China or other places) are probably not tallied properly relative to the others on the list. Although I have not done my homework, surely there are domestic places in China and Japan that belong on the list.

Scatts, you are spot on when you cite “a high sensitivity to “foreign places where we might get hurt or be served funny food!” I don’t like it, but it is not unique. And it is not all Americans. Have you ever heard the tip not to eat in a Thai restaurant (in Thailand) that has a German language menu? It’s a reliable one – the food is crap. Perhaps something similar can be said for restaurants in many places in Asia catering to Japanese businessmen. I remember an article in Der Spiegel about German tourists from a few years back, but I’ll have to look it up.

Anyway, enough ranting. My number is 18. It should be higher but I am not keen on amusement parks. Many notable absences in the US. What would I like to see added?

Vancouver. The most beautiful natural setting for a city anywhere.
Canadian Rockies – simply stunning.
Somewhere in South America – how did they get left off? I haven’t travelled there enough to be informed.

i DO NOT BELIEVE THE RANKING ABOVE… HOW CPOULD YOU MEASURE THE PEOPLE IN TIME SQAURE OR OXFORD LONDON OR eIFFEIL TOWER? tHERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING IN EIFEEL TOWER… THEY MEASURE ONLY THE TICKET GOING TO THE eIFELL TOWER AND HOW ABOUT THE GROUND… THOUSANDS EVERYDAYS…